Year : 2020

Volume : Volume 11

Issue : Issue 2s

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Mayur Parmar.
drmayur.perio@gmail.com

Abstract

Background:  The misuse of antibiotics in dentistry mainly involves prescription in unnecessary situations where a healthy patient is given antibiotics to prevent infections which are less likely to occur. present study aims to chart current trends in antibiotics prescription among dentists working in dental college of Gujarat, India. Material and Methods: The present cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the antibiotic prescribing practices among dentists in Gujarat. A total of 150 dentists, actively engaged in treatment of dental patients in different public and private hospitals were invited to participate in this study. A self-administered questionnaire to explore general information and questions related to antibiotics use in certain dental clinical procedures was provided to the dentists. The questionnaire included questions about the knowledge and attitudes of dentists toward prescribing antibiotics to dental patients. Results: A total of 85 undergraduate dental practitioners and 65 postgraduate specialists volunteered to contribute to this survey. In the specialists’ group, 12 males and 10 females with less than 10 years of experience and 18 males and 25 females with more than 10 years of experience completed the survey. Amoxicillin was the most popular antibiotics. More than 50% of the sample prescribed antibiotics daily. Conclusion: Most of the dentists participating in the survey prescribed antibiotics daily. It should also be kept in mind that the most common encountered problem in a dental clinic is pain. Appropriate guidelines for antibiotic use and misuse should be stipulated to combat drug resistance.

Keywords: Amoxicillin, Antibiotics, Dentistry, Knowledge.